Olympics put on bomb alert as French police lockdown Stade de France area
Police have reportedly locked down the Stade de France area in the north of Paris after a “suspicious package” was found during the Olympic Games.
A specialist bomb squad is expected to arrive at the French national stadium in Saint-Denis, located to the north of the capital, according to German tabloid Bild. The nearby Port de Paris train station has also been locked down as authorities deal with the alleged bomb scare.
It is believed that the Stade de France was empty at the time the package was found, with the first Olympic event in the venue concluding at around 1pm. The second event was scheduled to take place at 6pm, with 80,000 spectators expected to attend.
The Stade de France has been hosting athletic events earlier today, with heats in the running and hammer throw among those taking place.
It comes after reports that French authorities foiled a suspected terror attack on the football events at the Olympic Games back in May. French interior minister Gerald Darmanin confirmed that an 18-year-old man from Chechnya was arrested on May 22 in connection with a plan to target football matches in the city of Saint-Etienne, located southwest of Lyon.